Carton filling machines of the general type to which the invention pertains are used to fill transport container cartons in which the blanks are placed into the carton with the aid of a lowering and pivoting rail mechanism which moves within the carton. The lowering and pivoting rail mechanism travels to one wall of the carton which is pressed outward by the continuous loading of the blanks. The carton can be moved in the direction of filling on free-wheeling transport rollers. If more than one layer is to be loaded into the carton, it is necessary, after removing the lowering and pivoting rail mechanism, to move the carton back into a position to receive the new layer.